Solitude. A word carrying a variety of meanings. A word suitable for her situation right then. The word she was able to discard on that day. The day her life changed. Taking a fall into despair first and right after being lifted by the strings pulled by an unexpected helping hand.

Change was something that was caused by the requirement to adapt. She was young, she was naïve, filled with dreams but lacking the plans or the money. Adapting hadn’t worked out too well for her, who wanted to move out of her parents’ house and start a live of her own. She, who was robbed of her dreams mere moments after finally setting out to persuade them, experienced the cruel world, she was protected from when in parental embrace.

But the arms released, upon her own request and she was left alone.

A sigh, yet again, escaped from her lips as she gazed at her reflection, distorted by the ripples of the swaying waves. The icy wind gently caressed the hair that flowed down her shoulders and her back from underneath her beanie, in mock of her misfortune. The coat that protected her frame from the low temperature, unfortunately wasn’t long enough to shield her legs, that dangled down the railing, ten metres above the surface of the water below her.

Her head was tilted and her eyes only focussed on the reflection that stared back at her. Eyes empty, a shadow cast, not only by her fringe, in her blank but solemn face. The wind howled, the sounds of a busy city played in the background. Her perception of them was a vague, distant buzzing in the background. She didn’t care. Right then she couldn’t care for the rest of the world, when her own was falling apart.

A golden leaf, danced in the wind as gravity pulled it down. It landed right in the middle of the reflection, disrupting the shapes and colours completely. Her eyes focussed on the intruder, snapping back to the present, and trailed the path of the leaf that lifelessly lay on the waves that pulled it along. It was soaked, turning the golden glow into a deep sad orange. The colour orange hadn’t seemed that warm anymore right then.

The glimmer returned to her eyes and her fingers tightly wrapped around the handle of the railing she had been sitting on. A shiver ran down her neck, along her spine and limbs. She let out a sneeze, cursing the stinging tingle that was left behind in her nose and throat. The girl sniffled, summoning a cough from and this time cursed out loud. Dangling her feet, she started to lean back to shift her weight and balance.

“Ya!” resounded in her ears, shouted in a distressed male voice repeatedly.

“Wait! Stop right there!” Spoke the same voice.

The girl looked up, rather lost and turned her head towards the sound, meeting the figure of a dark haired man with candid cheekbones and a distressed hand waving about.

“Huh?” was the only sound the girl managed to utter at that moment.

“Don’t do it.” She heard him carefully speak, feeling his eyes run over her frame. “It’s not worth it.”

“What do y-...”

“Just… listen to me, okay?” the man continued.

His voice reminded the girl of a caring lullaby, calming down her nerves and even washing away the cold that stabbed at her skin.

“If you get down from there, I’ll promise to buy you food, okay? Wait no! Don’t get down, I mean get back… here…. on your feet!” he continued, adding the last parts hastily, when she remained silent.

The girl sat there on the railing, half turned towards the stranger and wondering about his intentions. But before she could even think about it or react, he was behind her and wrapped his hands around her upper arms. The girl got lifted and released once her feet were on the ground and she was standing steady. Turning to the man who at that moment had been behind her, she took a few cautious steps back, startled and confused at the smile presented in his expression.

“I better go now. You can thank me later.” he spoke before turning around and hurriedly leaving to the direction he came from.

“Well that was weird…” the brunette spoke as she straightened the beanie on her head.

With a glance towards the water her eyes travelled back and forth, eventually resting on the withered leaf, gliding swiftly on the waves. The colour that had looked so dark and so sad earlier, was now glistening in the sun as it drifted away. Far away. With a distant gaze, the girl’s chocolate eyes followed the trail of its movement, until the leaf was out of sight. Only then did the brunette turn around to her bicycle.

With one movement she picked her bag up from the ground and dropped it in the basket at her front. She climbed on it and pushed herself forward, riding across the bridge, into the icy wind that bit at her skin. Despite her tan the red that invaded her cheeks and nose were quite vivid. She wished to reach her destination fast, to warm up and hopefully enjoy a good cup of

cup of tea. Oh how she longed for a warm cup of steaming grace.

It was hours later when the girl came into vision again. The sky basked in a golden glow, with a deep orange lingering in the distant skyline. This time leisurely walking, still clad in her warm coat and knitwear and eyes focussing on a post-it note in her right hand, while the left fumbled with a button on the front. Lifting her eyes from the yellow square paper in her hands, she gazed around the streets, reading street signs. Upon finding the right one, the girl turned around a corner and continued walking in her leisure pace.

At some point in her stroll the brunette was stranded, not knowing where to go next. She looked around once again, seeking the familiar blue and green signs that could pinpoint her location. Her eyes locked on the sought object, but resulted in her scratching her head in confusion. She read the lines on her paper once again and her eyes flashed in between the street sign and post-it several times, before turning away and looking up a 5 story building to her left. She reached her destination.

With a smile on her lips she entered the building, in mind congratulating herself and giving herself a mental pat on the back for not getting lost. Although her day hadn’t started out all too well, resulting in the plummeting of her confidence, she was happy that at least one thing had gone right. There wasn’t much more she hoped for, though. She just needed, just wished for one more victory. Just one more.

Once on the fourth floor, she stepped out of the elevator and headed to her destined number. Eyes briefly skimming the frame of the elegant golden numbers on the door, right below the peephole. Before she had the chance to knock, the door opened inwards. Slightly startled, the girl pulled back her arm, shoving the post-it in the pocket of her coat. Rather than the opening of the door, the person standing there had surprised her.

“You’re…” her voice slowly left her lips, but there was no chance to continue.

“Good afternoon, here for the interview I assume?” the man spoke, with his eyes focussed on a stack of paper in his hands, before he lifted them to actually lay eyes on his guest.

“... Aren’t you the girl from the bridge?” he asked with a little hesitation in his voice, the girl noticed.

She frowned in return, choosing to correct his way of addressing her. “Kim Hyejoon is my name. Aren’t you supposed to buy me food, for whatever reason you had in mind?”

The man arched an eyebrow, staring at her with a questioning expression before the penny dropped. “Right, I forgot. Well, nice to meet you. Let me invite you in first.”

“How convenient.” Hyejoon spoke rolling her eyes, when he stepped aside for her to enter. “Thank you.”

Taking her shoes off, the brunette stepped up the corridor and slipped her arms out of her coat. She turned, but felt the resistance of her coat being stuck on something. With a tilt of her head, spotted the man’s hand at the collar, holding it for her. Rather reluctantly Hyejoon slipped out of it and released it for him to hang up on the hooks above the shoe rack. She was a little in awe at the manners and how neat and precise he was as she watched him even align her shoes properly.

Strolling down the hall, Hyejoon noticed several other signs to how neat the house actually was. Despite their rather weird first meeting, this man seemed like a good housewife. Once in the livingroom, the brunette scanned her surroundings. The interior was modern with a homely feeling to it. There was a coffee brown couch and the cream and beige pillows, a white table, with a brown vase with fresh flowers, around the corner of the L shaped room was an open kitchen with the dinner table as a bar attached to the wall. Those were the first to grab her attention.

“Please take a seat.” the words snapped her out of her trance.

Carefully staring at the man she she noticed him gesturing to the corner of the couch. So without leaving him to wait, Hyejoon took her seat, placing her bag at her feet. Her eyes followed her host as he walked to the kitchen and returned with a tray moments later. He placed the tray on the saloon table and sat at the other end of the couch. She obtained one cup in front of her, while he placed one in front of himself. A plate with cookies and other sweets was placed in between, with a container for sugar and one for milk right beside it.

“Thank you.” Hyejoon mumbled, nodding gratefully.

“So, what do you think?” she heard him ask and was snapped out of her daze in awe.

“It’s nice. Cosy and neat. Whoever did the interior has great sense.” Hyejoon truthfully responded. “It’s a bit far from the city center, but you get a quiet neighbourhood in return. There’s even a convenience store nearby, a mall only one bus stop away and ...”

Noticing the stare the man was giving him, Hyejoon immediately swallowed her remaining words. She noticed the half smile playing at his lips, only the right corner of his mouth lifted. If not for the gentle ray in his gaze, the girl could have sworn that it was a smirk. Amused. That was the best way to describe how he stared at her. Hyejoon grew more self-aware by the minute. Somewhere in her rattling she had picked up the cup of coffee and tightly closed her fingers around it. They were growing pale at the pure pressure she put on them.

“I… did some research.” she spoke to explain herself.

“I’m happy you did. Better to be informed in the place you’re interested in right?” the guy spoke and hyejoon nodded in return. “It’s Doojoon, by the way. Yoon Doojoon.”

Hyejoon nodded, not realising just yet who was in front of her. She gazed at her cup and brought it carefully to her lips. A soft blow formed ripples on the surface and she took another sip. He was familiar. But where did she know him from? Was the meeting in the morning their first? Her eyes traced his features, starting from his eyes down to his nose and mouth. Even his jawline. Her eyes then fell on his hands before snapping back to meet his eyes. She smiled.

“Nice to meet you, Doojoon-ssi.” she replied, in almost perfect synchronisation with his introduction.

“So why did you choose this place?”

The question had come unexpected. Honestly she had no idea how to respond to that. She could only think of one reason. Hyejoon was also reminded that this man, Yoon Doojoon, was subtly interviewing her in order to determine whether she would make a suitable roommate. The gentle gleam had faded from his eyes and this time the curve of his lips and playful, yet interested spark in his eyes did portray a smirk. One that sent a chill own her back, making the skin tingle in an unpleasant way.

Hyejoon shrugged. “I can’t afford the rent of an apartment of my own. The other option was to share one, but I don’t have any relatives in Seoul, nor any friends to share a home with. It’s also an urgent matter.”

Doojoon rubbed his chin thoughtfully, before connecting gazes again. “Urgent?” He asked.

“If I don’t find any place to stay by today, I’ll have to leave Seoul and go back to Daegu.” she retorted and took a sip from her coffee.

Doojoon was taken aback at her carefree attitude at this matter. “Isn’t that something bad?” he asked, curious about her response.

“It is. I’ll probably live the rest of my life, working to take over my parents’ fish business.” she responded, still in her airy matter.

“A company?” Doojoon asked.

“A stand at the market.” the brunette clarified, successfully silencing the guy. “What about you?”

The man blinked as his forehead creased, wondering what she could possibly be talking about. “I mean… why did you choose this place?” he heard the girl ask, before he could formulate a question.

Hyejoon watched the man for a while as the serene silence enveloped the scene. A serene glow fell on his face as he thought about the answer to her question, while his eyes were distantly locked on his cup drowning in the dark liquid it contained. The brunette took this moment to finally notice the white sweater he wore, sculpting his arms and shoulders in a breathtaking way. The way he sat slightly bent forward, resting one arm on his crossed legs, showed off the shape of his chest and thighs as well.

“I wonder.” He finally responded, lowering the cup from his lips. “The quiet and peace. Although I like the lively city, I’d rather live in more … calm environment.”

The girl nodded in response, not expecting the next words rolling from his tongue. “You’re a fairly top placed candidate, Kim Hyejoon-ssi.”

“But?” she asked rather surprised after hearing the hesitation in his voice.

“But you’re a woman. I can only wonder if that will work out.”

The tone Doojoon spoke with bore no ill intent, yet stung incredibly. This was her last chance.

“I do not have any problems with that, Doojoon-ssi. I keep to myself most of the tim. And from the information I found out that only the living room and kitchen are to be shared. I don’t expect to be home often, since I will be starting classes again and I clean up well. I hope that…”

“Very well.” Doojoon interrupted the girl’s speech. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.”

That day the despite sounding so unconcerned that it almost, almost had convinced him, Doojoon took interest in the glimp of desperation in the girl’s eyes. There was not only desperation, but something deeper down as well. Maybe through this experience he’d have at least a vague idea of the world beyond her eyes. The world hidden behind the mirrors that did a frantic attempt at hiding whatever was beyond.

“... what?” the brunette whispered almost cynically.

Doojoon smiled at her shock. “The paperwork I received beforehand was impressive. I also have an idea of what your daily life would look like and I am under the impression that our personalities wouldn’t clash in these circumstances.”

He placed his empty cup on the table and locked his eyes with her deep chocolate brown ones, that were coated with the hazy mist. “That is why, Kim Hyejoon-ssi, you’re accepted.”

“Tha-”

“I’ll be in your care from now on.” He continued, finally snapping her out of her daze.

Hyejoon’s eyes traced the man’s limb extending to her, palm faced sidewards. She took it with a slight bow, sincerely grateful, excited and above all, deeply relieved.

“You can move in this weekend right?” she heard the man ask and lifted her head to meet his eyes.

“Yes. I’ll be in your care from now on, Doojoon-ssi.”

* * * * *

Their meeting hadn’t been the most standard one, but in the end this would be one of those moments to be remembered forever. A memory to pass on as a humourous story to the grandchildren. Time passed by and the two had been living for three seasons as roommates. Events occurred and in those 9 and a half months the two had gotten to know each other, forming irreplaceable bonds. Spending moments in laughter, anger, frustration, tears and much more, had only strengthened it.

The two battling it out with the most intense scowls they could muster up, had started one of the many feuds the two would go through on a daily basis. Hyejoon was standing a few steps away with arms folded from the couch, where the man had been seated moments ago, enjoying a game of bubble trouble on his phone before this girl’s intrusion and robbing him from said device. He had risen as well, towering over the girl with an intimidating gleam over him, demanding the return of his possession.

The culprit would have none of it, knowing that the man played with empty threats. Since their first meeting Hyejoon was very much aware of the gentleman that resided in Doojoon. He could never raise a hand nor a sword against a woman, let alone a friend and in this case roommate. There had been several more cases of the man’s meaningless menace, only to obtain whatever he wanted. The brunette had seen through every attempt and successfully disarmed the ticking bomb almost every time. Almost.

“If your life is dear to you, Kim Hyejoon, you will return the phone to me. Right now.”

The girl scoffed at the commanding tone and waved the phone around for a good measure. “Answer my question, Dooppa. What about dinner?”

“Yes, about that…”

From the beginning Doojoon had no intention of finishing his sentence. The arm Hyejoon had dangled the phone with, instantly came to a halt as the man’s fingers wrapped around her wrist. In a series of movements, starting with a rapid pull followed by a swift turn and ending with the pressure on her shoulders to pin her to the couch after being forced on it, the brunette had been successfully locked between the man in front of her and the cushions behind her.

The moment she opened to retort and before she was given the chance to counter this attack, Hyejoon’s lips were sealed by his. To say she was frozen in shock, was probably a decent depiction of describing her situation for bystanders and those who do not know Kim Hyejoon. Doojoon however, knew better. He broke the kiss after a short moment and eyed the girl, fully aware that the girl cursed him in her mind right now. And he was right, her eyes shortly traveled down his face to take a glimpse at his lips and returned.

Her eyebrows creased, eyes narrowed upon the words the man spoke. “I taste chicken.”

The smirk teasing at the corner of his lips, reminded her of when they had first met. Not the meeting on the bridge, but the first time she stepped in the apartment she could call home. The apartment with the elegant golden ‘24’ on the back of the door.